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The .380 also know as 9mm shortis not in the same performance category as the 9mm

The last fifteen years have seen serious changes in the framework within which regular American people obtain and use handguns for personal defense. On the unhelpful side the federal Crime Bill of 1994 limited magazine capacity and put new restrictions on ammunition manufacturers’ freedom to develop high-performance handgun loads. On the helpful side more and more concealed-carry laws are being enacted every year at the state level, with the total of states now allowing some form of legal civilian concealed handgun carry now standing at 47 and more are likely to join that list. The result has been significant change in the comparative market share and availability of various cartridges and handgun formats, with a large increase in the popularity of small, pocket-size autoloading pistols and an attendant incorporation of previous “duty level” cartridges into ever-smaller guns. The market for related firearm accessories and shooting supplies including stocks, grips, scopes, holsters, gun cases, sights, binoculars and cleaning equipment has also shifted.

When it comes to personal-defense carry, most people buy small guns. The single largest category of handguns bought in the US during the last 15 years has been petite, short-barrel, pocket-size protection models-autoloaders and revolvers alike. Overall, compact concealment-size handguns account for more than 70 percent of all current civilian handgun sales, and autoloaders account for approximately 75 percent of that number (according to the most current BATF statistics). In terms of caliber selection the two most popular choices within this main portion of the overall handgun pie are the .380 ACP and the 9mm.

In the present market, compact and pocket-size guns available for the 9mm and the .380 have essentially the same range of available features and performance capabilities-in fact, identical pocket-size 9mm and .380 pistol versions are increasingly available from the same manufacturer. You can choose among single-action, double-action, with the same type of sighting setups and safety-operating mechanisms, and choices of steel, aluminum, or molded-polymer frames for either cartridge. Which means the choice is really between the capabilities of the cartridges, not the guns. There is also a wide selection of firearm accessories like grips, sights and holsters to consider when making a choice. (more…)

Basics
The Mossberg 930 is gas operated, which means that some of the hot gases from the burning gun powder are used to push a piston that operates the action, ejecting the spent shell and chambering a fresh one. This gas action reduces the recoil felt by the shooter, making this shotgun a good choice for the recoil sensitive. In testing, the recoil from the Mossberg 930 is a bit harder than the Remington 11-87. Like other Mossberg shotguns, such as the Mossberg 500, this shotgun has an ambidextrous safety that is located on the rear of the receiver. The Mossberg 930 comes in a variety of models suitable for home defense, hunting, trapshooting, etc. The 930 is available in the usual gauges, but I’m only concerned with 12 gauge. One thing I’ve noticed is that the Mossberg 930 seems to eject spent shells a few yards further than my Remington 11-87. This doesn’t really matter to me, as I use a shell catcher, but I found it to be fascinating.

Build Quality
The Mossberg 930 is well known for its low price, which is achieved without sacrificing quality or safety. On thing that I dislike is the aluminum receiver, as I prefer steel, however I can’t truthfully say that the choice of metals has made any noticeable difference for me. I also wish that the safety were made of metal, rather than plastic; however I have not experienced any durability issues with the safety. Given the fact that one could practically buy two of the Mossberg 930 for the price of a single Remington 11-87, the aluminum receiver and plastic safety seem quite forgivable.

Reliability
I have had no issues with the Mossberg 930 failing to feed, failing to fire, or otherwise malfunctioning. That said, keeping any gas operated shotgun well cleaned is essential to reliable operation. Since I keep my shotguns well cleaned and lubricated, I don’t anticipate problems. At the same time, prefer pump action shotguns for home defense, as the pump action is inherently more reliable.

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Accessories
The Mossberg 930 is quite popular, due in no small part to its low price. There is a wide variety of accessories available for the 930, in stores and online. Barrels can be purchased for just about every shot gunning discipline imaginable, including trapshooting, hunting, and home defense. Scopes, laser sights, ghost ring sights, pistol grips, stocks, and more are available too. There is even the 930 SPX model, which comes with pretty much all the tactical accessories one would want, right from the factory.

Conclusion
Those looking for an inexpensive yet good quality semi auto shotgun may want to consider the Mossberg 930. I prefer my Remington 11-87; however the Mossberg 930’s price just can’t be beaten.

A Brief History
The G19 was Glock’s second pistol model, created in the late 1980s in reaction to the American market’s need for a compact version of the 9mm G17. Glock’s path was to reduce barrel and grip length slightly to aid in concealment, while keeping the magazine interface and as many internal parts as possible identical to the G17. This would allow law enforcement to issue both pistols (G17 for uniformed officers, G19 for detectives or off-duty) without needing to maintain two disconnected inventories of spare parts. It was a rewarding system, one which Glock continued to put into practice until the arrival of the “slim line” G36 in 2000. The “compacts” (G19 in 9mm and G23 in .40SW) remain the company’s hottest models, and are used extensively by law enforcement. The G19 frame size is generally viewed as having the best size-utility of all Glock’s models small enough to conceal easily, but large enough to provide a fine grip, sight radius and accuracy.

I bought my first Glock 19 in 1989 after the range master at the Sheriff’s Office Range suggested that my Smith & Wesson Model 39 9mm may have been getting a little long in the tooth. He suggested the G19 as a replacement concealed carry weapon. It made scene since I was already use to the flat laying Smith and the caliber was the same. I discovered the G19 was even more concealable and it had twice the magazine capacity. After market Glock accessories, Glock parts & Glock barrels were easily available as well. (more…)